*BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020)

Would it be possible to use a light pipe so that the LEDs would still be mounted in the base but the light would be emitted downwards like a traditional lantern?

Interested

Interested

@DBSAR
Unfortunately photobucket did change the policy. So from 1st of july 2017, no embedding of images on third-party websites, such as personal blogs and forums, is possible for free anymore.
They sell this function now for $399/year.

So is it possible to reupload the pictures to a fair image hoster?

Now the thread has raised to 12 pages, what speaks for your project. I’m very curious about the result too :slight_smile:
Any news for the crowd?

Interested

Interested

Hope this project get going now that the Q8 are final. Love the charging discussion and to use it with a solarcharger.

Interested.

I am letting TheMiller have a break from it and when he’s ready we can take on the BLF Lantern project. :slight_smile:

Good to know there’s at least some kind of “plan” for this which is being executed, sorta. :smiley: :+1:

Great, so the project is still alive :slight_smile:

Interested

I’m interested.

I think the current lantern offerings out there are sorely lacking. With the thought and planning that has been demonstrated by this group for the Q8 and the BLF GT alone, i think a fantastic lantern could be made.

Interested

this looks like a very decent project. subscribed

I was very happy when this project was initially proposed. I really wanted emergency lights with a long run time. Then it seemed it was a dead project, or might be transformed as an adapter for the then new Q8.

Then it just seemed to die so I stopped looking. I was surprised to see a reference in the Q8 thread and came here to look.

It would still, in my mind, be an excellent addition to the Q8. The Q8 has a very complete design for brightness, decent LEDs, and a good price. It appears to be well made. Color of LEDs can be change by the skilled. Or just live with the supplied color temp and CRI. There could be later bare board replacements available for different LEDs. To deal with the top heavy configuration of a Q8 on top, put 3 legs (preferably folding or easily removable) on the lamp base. No electronics or wiring in the lamp. And you get down pointing LEDs and everything else you need for a lantern. To hang it, maybe some lines to the legs or somewhere on the reflector/deflector.

I have always felt that the lantern should have a wide range of available brightness (the Q8 is superb on this point). I completely disagree with the idea I have seen on a sampling of pages here that I just did, that the light should be rechargeable. For a camping light; maybe, maybe not. For an emergency light, definitely not. It is a much better strategy to have spare sets of charged batteries. Even for camping. Recharging from a USB recharger pack takes too long. And it is inefficient. For the normal USB output it first goes through an inverter. When the light goes out, presumably you will notice it, and after you manage to locate the light in the dark, you would need to let it charge for hours. Perhaps if you found your way back to your tent in the dark, you could keep the charger where you can easily find it. If you want to recharge from your car; get a charger that works on your 12VDC. They don’t cost anymore than the little pack of USB chargers. Then you have a spare set of batteries. Instant restoration of light. I believe internal recharge rather than changing cells is a poor solution in most any case. And it uses up available internal space, adds cost (parts), and complexity to the light.

I would suggest the idea of taking the relevant parts and adapting them to the Q8 would have serious merit. It would be best to make it attach to the front of the Q8. A much less practical and usable approach would be as a replacement head end. But that would lose most of the really great technology of the Q8.

I agree. But that also means for easy replacement AA might be better than 18650 (and I like 18650 better).
Then again there’s a bunch of decent 18650 chargers out there that work on both 12VDC and 110/230 AC, and with 4 3000mah cells you won’t be charging them every day.

Hell, I’m still using my coleman fuel lanterns and that gets boring quickly.

With one of those solar panel chargers a port to get the cells juice can be very useful
and have a powerbank function with 4 cells is also nice

The design of DBSAR is really thought through to give an “old fashoined” look and feel, while being modern and practical

! tiny thing, one of those two pillars, blocking light on the diffuser for the wires and overall sturdy construction, now very small, maybe it could be a little bit wider, then walking to the toilet building can be done without shining light in your own eyes without having to hold it in such a way to block the light?

Definitely interested, I imagine this will be quite a bit nicer than flashlights aimed at the top of the tent and always blinding myself :smiley:

Interested ,Pls upload new pictures

I am going to add a TP4056 based charger and a USB power circuit to it soon to do some of those tests to it.